Flying with convertible carset

Any tips? We are flying to OR (5 hour flight) and back in a few weeks. Have already decided to get DD (will be 17 months) her own seat and bring the carseat on board in the hopes that she'll sleep more (she is not good at sleeping on us. I am now reading about it and while she is still rear-facing in the car, seems like it might not fit rear-facing on the plane...and then if it's FF on the plane, all the seats we have are open belt path and I've seen things about the airplane seatbelt buckle being right in the middle under their back (with the seat pad over it, but it's a big buckle. Any tips or advice? She is 23 lbs. and technically large enough to forward face, though we rear face in the car (in NJ law is until age 2, but on a plane, different concerns so I think it's maybe okay for her to FF there?).

Re: Flying with convertible carset

I've flown twice with a convertible car seat. one trip we rear faced and the other we forward faced, just based on age of child at the time. the rear facing fit but if i remember correctly the person in front of my DC may not have been able to recline their seat, but we lucked out with an empty seat in front of us so it didn't matter. when we forward faced we didn't have any issues with the seatbelt. car seats were cosco scenera and evenflo securekids. airline was delta.

Flying with convertible carset

We flew with our britax advocate (which is huge) when dd1 was 17 months. Seat goes in the window seat. We kept her rear facing. She slept the entire time.

Buy a backpack or wheeling bag to schlep it through the airport. You'll have to take it out at security check.

Flying with convertible carset

I forward face my dd on the plane so she can watch TV although she is still rear facing in the car at nearly 3.5 years old--ask the flight attendant for a seat belt extender- it takes a couple of minutes but you can adjust the belt so the seat is securely installed without the buckle in the belt path-I have a Britax round about for travel and a generic babies r us wheeled car seat bag. The car seat must be installed in a window seat--you cannot have a person sitting in a seat blocked by a car seat.

Flying with convertible carset

for the flight, we decided to forward face our 2 year old, even though he was rear facing in the car. it made the installation much easier. while traveling through the airport, we had him in the seat with one of those travel carts with wheels. so much easier!

Re: Flying with convertible carset

Thanks, all. Also trying to figure out how much food/snacks to bring. Any suggestions for good lunch items to take on the plane for LO?

Re: Flying with convertible carset

We just got back from vacation with our 18 month old/19.5 lbs. We used the Britax roundabout. I had thought that front facing would be easier, but actually it was easier to install and fit better rear facing. Yes, she did end up sitting on that big bump from the lap belt, but she didn't seem to mind. She slept over 2 hrs. Each way. I wasn't so worried which way she'd face - backwards just worked out a lot better. FYI, we did have the even more legroom seats on jet blue.

Re: Flying with convertible carset

Re: Flying with convertible carset

for the food thing, i tried not to bring perishable stuff unless DC would eat it earlier in the trip. mainly because i didn't want to schlep some kind of cooler or ice pack. so PB banana sandwiches worked well and various snacks - fruit, peanut butter on crackers, goldfish, pretzels. to keep the peace, all rules and schedules went out the window on the plane so i would give any food any time. it wasn't worth a fight on the plane.